1 contractor for every 140m road workTo siphon off huge development fund, the communications ministry inflated a Tk 192 crore road construction project to Tk 349 crore by manipulating all components of the scheme, revealed a government investigation.

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EC, finance at loggerheads over voter list budgetThe Election Commission (EC) and the finance ministry are now at loggerheads over allocation of budget for the task of updating the existing voter list, making smooth start of the task tomorrow uncertain.

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HC upholds death sentence of fourThe High Court (HC) yesterday upheld a lower court verdict awarding capital punishment to four convicts in the sensational Muhuri murder case of Chittagong.

RMG workers, owners at odds over wageGarment owners and workers are at loggerheads over fixing a minimum wage for employees as the BGMEA is pursing Tk 1,230 a month while the workers are demanding Tk 3,000.

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EC makes fresh bid to justify its earlier moveThe Election Commission (EC) yesterday made a fresh bid to justify its earlier move for publication of the controversial draft voter list prepared in violation of the High Court directives.

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Life-saving drugs become dearerPrices of different life-saving drugs especially those imported for cardiac, kidney, cancer, and surgery patients have shot up in recent months.

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Syndicate behind price hike identifiedCommerce Minister Hafizuddin Ahmed yesterday said intelligence agencies have already traced the syndicate, which is responsible for the skyrocketing price of essentials, and urged the concerned ministry

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Shibir planned control on campus long agoIslami Chhatra Shibir (ICS)'s latest showdown with two other student organisations in Jagannath University is nothing but a part of the master plan that ICS had plotted years back to establish supremacy

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Biotech policy declaredThe government yesterday declared a National Biotechnology Policy in order to keep pace with the fast advancing field of modern biotechnology and achieve world class competence in the fields of research

2 JMB men get 48yrs in prisonA special tribunal court in Gaibandha yesterday convicted two Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Ehsar members in an August 17 bomb blast case, sentenced them to 48 years of rigorous imprisonment,and

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Top outlaw killed in 'crossfire'A top outlaw was killed in 'crossfire' during a shootout between his cohorts and the police at Shrirampur in Alamdanga upazila of Chuadanga district early yesterday, police said.

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US envoy meets Ahsanullah Master's familyUS Ambassador to Bangladesh Patricia A Butenis yesterday met the family members of slain Awami League (AL) leader and former lawmaker Ahsanullah Master at his Tongi house.

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Sylhet BNP MP gets 'threat' over phoneRuling party lawmaker Syed Mokbul Hossain claimed that he has received several threats over mobile phones in the last two days following the death of a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) man in Golapganjupazila.

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3 injured in bomb blast in JessoreThree people were injured yesterday when a bomb went off in a den where bombs were being made at Siddhipasha under Abhaynagar upazila in Jessore.

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Tsunami body count tops 520Rescuers dug with bare hands yesterday in a grim search for more bodies after more than 520 people were confirmed killed in the second tsunami to strike Indonesia in as many years.

Why recruitment of 89 staff not illegalThe High Court yesterday issued a rule on Islamic University authorities to explain within two weeks why its recruitment of 89 employees in 53 ranks will not be declared illegal.

5 cops injured in shootout with gunrunnersFive policemen and one suspected gunrunner were wounded in an exchange of fire as a police team foiled an arms-smuggling bid at Moghdata in Rashidnagar area of Ramu upazila Tuesday night.

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Govt-teachers talks delayed as minister sickDialogue between the government and teachers on indefinite strike is being delayed as the prime minister's Political Secretary Harris Chowdhury and Education Minister Osman Farruk have fallen sick, sources

SEC disposes of 85.71pc of complaints in FY06The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disposed of more investors' complaints against listed companies and brokers/dealers in the last fiscal year compared to the preceding one.

GP offers free int'l MMS until July 31GrameenPhone Ltd is offering its subscribers the facility to send international and local multimedia messaging service (MMS) free of charge until July 31, 2006, says a press release.

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Oil prices fallOil prices sagged Wednesday as traders held the view Israel's offensive with Lebanon would not engulf the region, and ahead of fresh US crude inventories data, dealers said.

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Yahoo profits plungeInternet search engine Yahoo Tuesday reported a massive dive in second-quarter profits, sending its shares plunging despite a surge in sales on the back of the football World Cup.

Bimstec for new deadline for FTA enforcementBay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), an economic bloc consisting seven South and Southeast Asian countries, is resuming trade negotiations next week

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Japan to cut foreign aid budget by 3pcJapan plans to cut its budget for foreign aid, long a top tool of Tokyo's foreign policy, by three percent in the fiscal year starting in April 2007 due to financial constraints, officials said Wednesday.

Cricket:Tigers pack up for safariAfrica-bound Bangladesh cricket team completed their home preparation yesterday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur relishing the prospect of recording their first-ever away series victory.

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Football:Enough for Joy, ArmanArman Mia and Arif Khan Joy have decided not to join the national camp for Bangladesh's 2007 Asian Cup qualifying home match against Qatar.

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Football:Pro League in NovThe Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) will launch their first ever Professional League in the first week of November in Dhaka, it was decided after an executive committee meeting of the football governing

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Cricket:Under-strength SA land in Sri LankaSouth Africa, led by their first non-white captain Ashwell Prince, arrived in Sri Lanka on Wednesday to play two Tests and a one-day series also featuring India.

Cycling:Rasmussen wins 16th stageMichael Rasmussen of Denmark mastered some of the highest passes in the Alps, including the Col du Galibier, to win the 182-km 16th stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday.

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Football:Calciopoli appeal date setThe four top Italian soccer clubs found guilty in the Serie A match-fixing scandal will begin their appeals on July 22, the president of the appeals court has said.

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Football:'No excuses for Zidane'Marco Materazzi said on Tuesday Lilian Thuram should not make excuses for Zinedine Zidane's headbutt after the French defender described Italy's Materazzi as "an illness that should not exist".

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Football:Kezman hails ClementeAtletico Madrid's Serbia striker Mateja Kezman has hailed his country's decision to appoint former Spain boss Javier Clemente as coach. "He is a great coach with a lot of experience.

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Football:Pekerman confirms resignationArgentina coach Jose Pekerman has confirmed he will not carry on in the job, the football association's president said in a newspaper interview on Wednesday.

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Football:Drunken Baros runs amokCzech Republic striker Milan Baros went on a drunken rampage during his post-World Cup vacation, according to Czech newspaper reports on Wednesday.

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Football:Real apologise for website blunderReal Madrid have apologised for a blunder that made a profile of Ruud van Nistelrooy appear briefly on their website as if the Manchester United striker had signed for the club.

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Football:Freddie close to full fitnessAndrew Flintoff's chances of playing for England against Pakistan in next week's second Test at Old Trafford have improved after returning for county duty with Lancashire.

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Tennis:Roddick routs DelgadoFormer world No 1 Andy Roddick lost just 13 points on serve as the second seed hammered Ramon Delgado 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round of the Indianapolis Open.

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Tennis:Serena off to a flierSerena Williams got off to a strong start in her first tournament in six months, by dominating second seed Anastasia Myskina 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of the Cincinnati Open.

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Cricket:Ford's fearThe subject of the number of overseas players in English cricket has been argued over for years, but the recent influx of players under the Kolpak ruling has taken the debate onto a new level.

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Cricket:Gough done in by the dance!Darren Gough believes England's selectors are holding a grudge against him after his TV dancing antics.

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Cricket:Liam needs batting practiceEngland will allow fast bowler Liam Plunkett to play for Durham this week to let him work on his batting.

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Cricket:Fidel's fast aspirationFidel Edwards has set his sight on becoming the first West Indies bowler to smash the 100mph barrier and admitted he likes nothing better than spying fear in a batsman's eyes.

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Cricket:Razzaq to miss tour matchAfter losing several of their key players because of injuries earlier this summer, Pakistan are now facing further fitness problems with all-rounder Abdul Razzaq suffering from a back problem following

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Renault keen on KimiRenault have set their sights on signing Kimi Raikkonen to replace world champion Fernando Alonso in 2007.

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Cricket:Sreesanth ready for challengeIndia paceman Sri Sreesanth says the triangular series in Sri Lanka involving the hosts, his team and South Africa should be highly competitive.

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Football:Bent extends Charlton stayEngland striker Darren Bent on Tuesday pledged his future to Charlton by signing a new four-year contract with the Premiership club.

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Cricket:Otieno happy to be backKenyan top-order batsman and wicketkeeper Kennedy Otieno Obuya said Wednesday he was happy to be recalled into the national team for the upcoming ICC Intercontinental Cup against Canada after making up

Football:Donadoni relishing the challengeNewly-appointed Italy coach Roberto Donadoni said on Tuesday that he relished the pressure of taking over the world champions.

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Football:River fans riot over Cup exitRioting River Plate fans forced the match to be called off in the 80th minute as the Argentine team were knocked out of the Libertadores Cup by Paraguay's Libertad on Tuesday.

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Football:Ferguson backs China's DongAlex Ferguson has backed Dong Fangzhou to emerge as a Manchester United player within the 'next nine months' after the Chinese striker's late goal sealed a 1-0 friendly win against Kaizer Chiefs in Cape

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Football:Arena appointed Red Bulls coachFour days after the United States men's national team coach learned his contract would not be renewed, Bruce Arena on Tuesday was named the coach and sporting director of the MLS New York Red Bulls.

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Football:Nigerian FA dissolvedThe board of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) was Tuesday dissolved by an extraordinary congress of the organisation.

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Football:Anelka reveals Pompey interestFrench striker Nicolas Anelka on Wednesday revealed he has been offered the chance to join English Premiership club Portsmouth.

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Football:Tommasi, Cesar moving to LevantePrimera Liga side Levante have agreed a deal to sign Italian midfielder Damiano Tommasi from AS Roma. "Tommasi is a Levante player," club president Pedro Villarroel told a news conference on Tuesday.

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Football:Nowotny to join Dinamo ZagrebGerman international defender Jens Nowotny is set to join Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb, the Croatian club said on its website on Wednesday.

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Football:Okocha, Popovic move to QatarFormer Nigeria international Jay-Jay Okocha has signed a one-year contract with Qatari first division team Sports Club, while Australia's Tony Popovic is also moving to the Gulf state.

Children still deprived of legal rightsSpeakers at a roundtable yesterday called for establishing a child-friendly society through a change in attitude towards them, proper implementation of the Children Act, 1974, establishment of juvenile

Saifur for life oriented research worksFinance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman advised researchers to do life-oriented researches instead of doing researches that have little attachment to reality.

B Chowdhury to contest from Dhaka-7Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) President Badruddoza Chowdhury and Secretary General Abdul Mannan will contest the next parliamentary election from Dhaka-7 and Dhaka-10 constituencies respectively, Organising

Bulu gets bail in cheque bounce caseA Dhaka court yesterday granted bail to industrialist MNH Bulu in a cheque bounce case. With this, he got bail in all four cases filed against him.

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Body to probe irregularities soonKhulna Citizens' Forum (KCF) showed black flags to State Minister for Power Anowarul Kabir Talukder when he visited Goalpara Power Station and the office of West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited

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Asian University students withdraw agitationAsian University students of Uttara campus yesterday withdrew their agitation after the authorities concerned assured them of meeting most of their demands. It was decided at a meeting with the vice-chancellor.

No severe floods this monthThe country may experience no severe floods or natural calamities this month, as no such indication was traced in the information received by Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) through various

Two found unconsciousTwo people were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in unconscious state in different incidents in the city yesterday.

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Shibir attack on BCL rally condemnedBangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Rajshahi University unit yesterday staged a demonstration on the campus, protesting Islami Chhatra Shibir attack on a BCL rally at Government BL University College in Khulna

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Automation system for SSFThe activities of Special Security Force (SSF) were brought under complete automation system yesterday to enhance its proficiency.

Crisis at SUST deepensReopening of the Shah Jalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) has become uncertain as a section of senior teachers are not accepting return of the Vice-chancellor Prof Musleh Uddin Ahmed tothe

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IU teachers non-cooperate with acting VCA new deadlock started at the Islamic University yesterday as the teachers association at a meeting decided to non-cooperate with the newly appointed acting vice-chancellor Prof Anwarul Karim.

Demonstration for power in SatkhiraOver 500 leaders and activists of Chhatra Sangram Parishad, a combine of student fronts of 14-party opposition alliance brought out a procession in Satkhira town and held a rally in front of the Deputy

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SI arrested for abetting snatchingA police sub-inspector (SI) was arrested on Tuesday for abetting snatching of Tk one lakh and cell phone from a person at Gopalpur upazila in the district.

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Boat looted on PadmaPirates looted cash and valuables worth about Tk 2 lakh from an engine boat in the Jamuna river near Natuarpara Bazar at Kazipur upazila in Sirajganj district yesterday morning.

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Workshop for newsmen heldA three-day training workshop on 'Gender Discrimination and Violence Against Women' was held at Mymensingh Press Club auditorium yesterday.

Asset disclosure and millionaire ministersPoliticians are the most corrupt professional class in the world. This hypothesis was released by Transparency International from London on December 9, 2005 on the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day. The hypothesis was substantiated based on a two-year survey which included 55,000 respondents from 69 countries.

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US and rule of lawThe protection of individual rights is one of the pillars of the US constitution and due process is the means by which this protection is effectively guaranteed.

Mingling designs with formsQayyum Chowdhury says, "The artist who influenced me most is undoubtedly Zainul Abedin, my teacher. Before coming to the Dhaka Art College, I met him in Mymensingh where my father was posted.

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Discussion on the ace light designerLate Indian light designer Tapas Sen is known for his immense contribution to the theatre arena in Bangladesh. The 'magician of light', as he was dubbed, passed away on June 28 in Kolkata.

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'Sunsilk Hair Style Show' on ntvIt was a field day for the city's glitterati as they made a beeline for the recent extravaganza of the year--the Sunsilk Hair Style Show by Jawed Habib at the Winter Garden, Dhaka Sheraton Hotel,

Valuables worth Tk 2.26 lakh robbedA group of criminals robbed valuables worth Tk 2.26 lakh from a house at Mirpur in the city yesterday. The miscreants, eight to ten in number, cut the balcony grills to enter the house at around 3:00pm.

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Winners of SMS voting receive prizesThe award giving ceremony of SMS voting for Meril-Prothom Alo Taroka Jarip 2005 was held at the Spectra Convention Centre in the city recently, says a press release.

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Over 2 lakh tonnes of spicy crops in RangpurMore than two lakh tonnes of various spicy crops are expected to be produced in eight districts under Rangpur Agriculture Zone (RAZ) this year as the department concerned have taken special measures.

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Tribute paid to journo MizanSpeakers at a discussion yesterday said the contributions of Mizanur Rahman in ensuring the rights of journalists and building the society and state will be remembered forever.

NAM calls for deployment of int'l force in MideastThe Non-Aligned Movement on Wednesday condemned Israel's offensives in Gaza and Lebanon and called for an international force to be deployed to prevent the violence from spiralling into a regional conflict.

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Mumbai now probes if the deadbody is bomber'sIndian police Wednesday were investigating if the sole unclaimed body from the Mumbai train attacks was a bomber after a little-known group said a member of a 16-strong terror team was killed in the operation.

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Latest tsunami was small but 'very violent'Compared with the giant Asian tsunami of December 2004, the walls of water that lashed Indonesia's Java island this week seemed small but the waves were powerful and fast, an expert said Wednesday.

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Suu Kyi barred from honouring fatherMyanmar's military junta barred pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi from honoring her father Wednesday at annual ceremonies paying tribute to him and other slain independence leaders.

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India orders for 3 Russian frigatesRussia is to build three warships for India's navy under a 1.6 billion-dollar contract signed Tuesday, the Interfax-AVN military news agency said, quoting an unidentified defence industry source.

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Java rattled by 52 strong aftershocksIndonesia's Java has been rattled by 52 strong aftershocks since a major quake triggered a tsunami this week, four of which on Wednesday caused panic among survivors, officials said.

N Korea scraps North-South family reunionsNorth Korea said Wednesday it would scrap cross-border family reunions on the divided peninsula, accusing South Korea of siding with its Western allies in the standoff over Pyongyang's missile launches.

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6 killed in fresh Kashmir shoot-outsTwo policemen and a six-year-old boy were among six people killed in a fresh surge of violence in Indian Kashmir that also saw a bloody shooting near a revered shrine, police said Wednesday.

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Uganda rejects ceasefire with LRA rebelsUgandan negotiators have rejected a ceasefire call from Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels as a first step in talks to end one of Africa's longest conflicts, officials said yesterday.

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Palestinians sidelined as war rages in LebanonIsrael's war on Hizbollah has sidelined conflict with the Palestinians, but whatever emerges from the fighting with the Lebanese group could help decide what happens in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

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French Socialist wants Chirac's post, not palaceFrance's next president could live in a Paris apartment rather than the official Elysee Palace, walk to work every day and draw from his experience in organising music festivals when setting out policies.

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Quake shakes Pak-Iran borderA moderate earthquake jolted an area along Pakistan's border with neighbouring Iran yesterday, but there were no reports of injuries or any damage, an official said.

Editorial:Wanton aggression in LebanonAs Israel wreaks its wrath on Lebanon, apparently to settle scores with the Hezbollah, civilian casualties are rising sharply in an uneven battle where the innocent people are pitted against the sophisticated

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Editorial:Another onslaught on BurigangaThe story of our river banks being encroached upon and filling up of the adjoining areas to grab parcels of land is nothing new.

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Reaping the whirlwindThe Mumbai blasts are once again very painful reminders of the utter helplessness of the many to the ill motives and the wicked actions of the few.

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A time to uniteThe terrorists who strike South Asia (mainly India) from time to time have a precocious propensity to do so close to a noteworthy event, e.g.

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Can there be a BNP-JP election alliance?With no prospect in sight for any dialogue between the BNP-led four-party alliance and the AL-led 14-party alliance on preparation of an accurate and acceptable voter list, as well as caretaker government

Investment for whom?Today we live in a global economy, therefore, every country welcomes foreign investment. We don't know how many countries have changed their fortune by foreign investments.

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Life in slumsWhen life is shattered with oppression and sufferings, can we expect any prosperity from that life except futility, distress and disappointment? Because, human life is restrained by the basic demands